Drive.ai Partners With Lyft for Autonomous Ridesharing

MOUNTAIN VIEW – Drive.ai and Lyft have formed a partnership to bring autonomous ridesharing cars to the Bay Area. This collaboration combines Drive.ai’s deep learning-based self-driving solution with Lyft’s extensive ridesharing network, furthering both companies commitment to the development of safe, intelligent autonomous vehicles.

“Self-driving cars have the potential to save lives, reshape cities, and dramatically benefit the environment. Pilot programs like this are vital to build awareness and familiarity with autonomous vehicle technology, and Drive.ai is committed to working with great businesses like Lyft in order to do so,” said Drive.ai CEO Sameep Tandon. “Together, we can take the next step in autonomous vehicles, from testing to deployment in real, urban environments.”

The pilot, which will deploy in the Bay Area soon, will provide valuable insight on how autonomous vehicles can be used effectively and help Lyft optimize the passenger experience. Drive.ai will use the pilot to expand its technical capabilities and develop a roadmap for broader commercialization. All rides will have a Drive.ai trained safety driver in the vehicle and any public pilot deployed will be done in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements.

“At Lyft, we’re committed to improving people’s lives with the world’s best transportation,” said Taggart Matthiesen, senior director of product of Lyft. “We’re thrilled to partner with Drive.ai to pilot self-driving cars in the Bay Area, and together help shape the future of transportation and ultimately the future of our communities.”

Drive.ai uses a deep learning-first approach to develop scalable and adaptable self-driving technology. To bring its technology to market, Drive.ai is developing retrofit kits that allow businesses to cost-efficiently transform traditional vehicles into self-driving models. This pilot announcement comes just months after Drive.ai announced its $50 million Series B funding round, which Drive.ai is using to pursue partnerships with business fleets.